Royal Navy air crew killed in Devon helicopter crash named

Three Royal Navy personnel lost their lives in a helicopter accident during a training exercise, with official confirmation from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) naming the crew members involved. The deceased included Lieutenant Commander Chris Gayson, aged 42; Lieutenant Lily-Mae Fisher, 31, noted as the UK’s only female Royal Navy commando; and Petty Officer Owen Green, 24.

The tragic crash occurred around 03:45 BST on Wednesday near Okehampton in Devon, involving a Merlin Mk4 helicopter. The MoD described the three as “deeply capable and professional aviators” and valued contributors to the Commando Helicopter Force. Families of the victims shared heartfelt tributes: Gayson’s family remembered him as “an extremely kind and gentle family man who loved his entire family dearly,” while Fisher’s relatives called her “an extraordinary woman.” Green’s family spoke of him as a “caring and devoted son, brother, grandson, and partner to Iona, whom he loved and cherished.”

Lieutenant Fisher had been undertaking her final assessment of flying training at the time of the crash and was scheduled to receive her Pilot’s Wings later this month. The MoD noted her background in competitive sports representing England and Great Britain, and that she joined the Royal Navy after graduating from Imperial College London in 2019. During a pause in her flight training, she became Britain’s only serving female Royal Navy Commando and contributed to the UK’s military efforts addressing the Channel migrant crisis, working to find and recover boats to save lives.

Senior military figures expressed profound sorrow over the loss. Air Vice-Marshal Lee Turner, Commander of the Joint Aviation Command, described the deaths as “the cause of profound sadness” within both the Joint Aviation Command and the Commando Helicopter Force. Colonel Will Penkman, Commanding Officer of the Commando Helicopter Force, called the incident “a great tragedy,” mourning the loss of “cherished members of the force with bright futures ahead of them.” The tragedy also drew public condolences from prominent figures, including the Princess of Wales, the Royal Navy’s head General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The Defence Accident Investigation Branch will lead the inquiry into the circumstances of the crash

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